Supplement is a word defined by Webster as such: Something added to complete
a thing or to make up for a deficiency. Even so; some diet weight loss
supplements companies market their products as magic pills and some consumers
think of them as such.

I believe diet weight loss supplements can be beneficial
if we learn to look past the hype and use them in addition to improved
eating habits as well as increased physical activity.

Know what you want out of your diet weight loss
supplement:

Are you looking for decreased appetite, carb blocking
ability or increased metabolism? What is the manufacturer promising? What
are the active ingredients and what studies and dosages were done on them?

Look for reviews and testimonials:

This is something I almost did not want to mention
because reviews and testimonials can be very conflicting. Reading weight
loss supplement reviews and testimonials is going to require you to think
for yourself and determine if the review or testimonial makes a valid
point or not. I recently read a review for a weight loss product that
said something to this effect: “I did not like this product; I continued
to eat the way I always do and actually gained weight on this product.”
My interpretation of this is that the person probably did not carefully
monitor what they were eating. They were gaining weight before “eating
what they normally eat” and were expecting this pill to magically
cause them to lose weight. On the other hand, a weight loss testimonial
that says “I eat anything I want and am still losing weight!”
is equally suspicious to me. Weight loss product testimonials and reviews
can be helpful in your decision if you weed through the hype and incomplete
information. Look for clues such as: Did this product decrease the customers’
appetite? Did the customer experience more energy? Was the reviewer jittery?

Is it to good to be true?

We have a tendency to believe what we want to believe.
But when it comes to weight loss supplements we have to be honest with
our self. Are the claims exaggerated? Is the company telling us we do
not need to change our lifestyle? Does it appear the company wants us
to lead a healthy lifestyle or does the company want to sell millions
of pills? Remember weight loss supplements are going to help you reach
your goals, not carry you to the completion of your weight loss goals.

Best seller does not always mean the best product.

I was a distributor for a branch of a very reputable
supplement company and attended a convention they sponsored. The speaker
was talking about making claims when trying to sell product and how they
did not want us making any claims that have not been backed by science.
Someone asked the question about other companies and why they could make
outlandish weight loss claims and experience such great sales while we
could only state scientific fact. The speaker acknowledge the fact that
these companies would sell millions of dollars worth of product but they
would not earn repeat customers and more than likely would not even exist
in the long run. Ask yourself if the product you are interested in is
a best seller because of hype or because the company is reputable and
has a quality weight loss product.

Has the company been around for a while?

While the fact that a company is new does not mean
it is low quality, a company that has been around for years usually has
happy customers.

Read the directions and warnings very carefully.

I knew a lady that was taking a Chitosan product
and getting sick. She asked me about it and I quickly asked her if she
was allergic to shellfish-She was. Fortunately for her it was only a mild
allergen and she did not suffer seriously. It was clearly stated on the
label; “Do not take if you are allergic to shellfish.” Also
don’t have the mentality that if one pill is good then two must
be better. Natural weight loss products can be very powerful and should
be treated with respect.

Take a break from time to time.

Occasionally take a break from your weight loss
supplement regimen especially if you are using a weight loss product that
contains a stimulant such as caffeine or other powerful herbs. I even
do this with my multi-vitamin. I just believe it is a good idea to give
your body a break from time to time.

Conclusion:

I believe weight loss supplements can help you
reach your weight loss goals, I also believe you can reach your weight
loss goals without weight loss supplements, however I have always been
the type of person that wanted every edge I can get. So if you are like
I and you decide to use weight loss supplements, think of your weight
loss goal as a three legged table. One leg represents healthy eating,
one leg represents activity, and the other leg represents your weight
loss supplementation. Remove any one leg and the table will fall. Rely
on only one leg and you will not reach your weight loss goal. Shop carefully,
have realistic expectations, follow safety guidelines and reach your weight
loss goal!